With each life lesson freely given, came the expectation of real life application. If He taught it, you better do it. (Picture his six kids, cameo upped, storming your beach property late at night, what a sight to see.) It didn't matter if you did it wrong the first, second, or even third time, he just wanted you to do it, he wanted you to try.
With each life building experience he guided you through, came the expectation of obedience to the new knowledge you had obtained. If He said don't run over water meter covers with the lawn mower, because it bends blades, and then showed you the bent blade, and then helped you replace it. The expectation was you now know to not run over water meter covers, because it in reality does bend and ruin blades! If you did, you would be replacing the blade yourself.
I replaced a lot of mower blades, even when it wasn't my fault...thanks younger Kirwan tribesmen. Squatting that long and inhaling the engine fumes probably is the reason I did terrible in college! So you can appropriately blame my younger siblings for my bad grades.
Even through this sometimes brutal learning pattern of, "I told you once, I showed you once, and yet you still disobeyed, now you will do it alone. If you have trouble, figure it out." I learned something was different about my father from the typical horror story Drill Sargent, call me sir, dad. Yes, even among the sound offs, "JAR THE FLOOR" calls each morning, the yes mam and sirs, roger thats, and over-n-outs, there was something different, an intense kindness only found in a Heavenly Father.(Follow Link to Learn More About Your Father In Heaven!)
My Dad built a relationship with our loving Heavenly Father. That relationship ranked him in a completely new way. He was not only a hard working Marine or faithful Latter-Day Saint, he was both. Two truly all encompassing lifestyles merging into one amazing Man. This allowed him to teach me with a kindness not commonly found in the war hardened Devil Dogs. Couple this with the in depth and extensive knowledge and training, you get a soul worth admiring.
I have grown to realize that it is through his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and his faithfulness in his membership to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that taught him how to be at peace. He gained extensive training and all around good knowledge from the Military, but not until it was refined by his Church service did purpose for life emerge. These precious service experiences have allowed him to in turn teach me how to: be at peace, learn from the world, and live in the world without falling prey to the world.
I have thought of 5 things that I recognize rubbed into my Fathers life from being a member of Christ's Church that shaped who I am.
1. language. There are so many different ways to communicate in our day that our language, or the method of human communication seems to be limitless.
We have email, texts, IM, pagers, phone calls, letters, friendly waves, french, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, high-fives, low-fives, thumbs up, smiles, frowns, smoke signals, Morse code, and the list goes on forever...If it is beating a rock on a tree, precise tactical hand motions, or a simple text saying I love you, you are linguistically communicating in everything you do.
When speaking to children, parents or friends, language can always build up or tear down, but there is no middle ground. So take note of how you communicate.
2. Wholesome hobbies. Ever wonder what Marines do in their free time? Ever wonder what Mormons do with their free time? Well combining the two together you get a lot of family high adventure activities.
One Monday night my family decided to play jokes on each other. It went from tactically moving our parents car, to our parents sneaking my sisters 2 year old child out of a window. Well, you could say that Kirwans don't play fair, and if it's jokes on each other, we are defiantly shooting to kill. Only because we love each other so much!
Anything that the family participates in that constructively creates bonds one to another, will be wholesome and rewarding. Try something different than sitting in the living room watching reruns of Survivor.
3. Compassionate service. Christ was always serving. Literally, He did all he could for everyone else. Finding ways to service others in the spirit of love will help you to appreciate them, and them you. Service helps us view each other as we are, children of God.
My Fathers example of service has always been a great one to follow. He would clean the kitchen late at night if the child assigned to, decided to "clean it later." He always woke up early to go to work and didn't complain. He made sure his children came before he did. His service was from the desire of his heart, not the command of his Master Gunnery Sargent.
If you fall short in thinking of a fun service opportunity, go ask your Mom! Ahahaha. Dad will tell you to mow the lawn....
4. The Spirit. Anyone who is religious has heard about "The Spirit." So naturally you would assume that those who go to church know exactly what it is. Well, I didn't. The one who taught me, and the one who helped me first recognize it, was the person i first recognized it in. My Father. Because of his kind language and fun activities with everyone, and his service to me, I saw and felt a sense of goodness in him. It was the spirit. The Bible explains a little of what the Spirit is and how to recognize it (Galatians 5:22-23.)
5. Tears. Marines do not cry never, but my Marine does! Is it because he is less of a macho ripped diesel Marine, that goes into war strapped on to a bomb that is dropped from high altitudes, with intent to single handedly destroy all, ready to give life and limb for the protection of his family, religion, and country! ALL IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM?!
NO! It is because he understands who he is, where he came from, and where he is going. He knows the purpose of life. We are here to have joy, and to have joy sometimes you need to feel sorrow. Tears can come with both of those emotions. They should have warning labels. No need to bring your own tears, they are included in the price of ship and handling of your joy and sorrow.
Life is to short to miss communicate, skip the family date, withhold your service, ignore God and the Spirit's guidance, and life is way to short to not cry.
So cry on Military Mormon Man, or any macho macho man....its okay my dad does it. There is joy to be had so why not have it.
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